Tunnel Vision
by YaThinkDiNozzo
Summary: Revenge is an act that makes a person disregard their values and creates division among friends and family. What if an agent felt the need for revenge against a teammate? Would the team be able to exist? Not TIVA, not for fans of Ziva or Tim.
1. Unsettled

Chapter 1

Ziva David felt confident as she waited for Gibbs to come home to his basement. She had what she thought was a good talk with Tony. Not that he had any say in whether or not she would return to the team, but having him in her back pocket would make things easier for her.

That was the least he owed her.

When Gibbs came down his basement stairs, he was not surprised to see Ziva. She had made her rounds and hadn't encountered much negative feedback from anyone except for himself and Director Vance. For most people, having the Director of an agency and your own Team Leader hesitant to restore your position would be discouraging. But Ziva seemed to take it in stride, believing that showing a small amount of humility would be enough to sway any doubts. Well, he was about to burst her bubble.

"We need to talk." Ziva demanded.

Gibbs held his hard gaze as he moved a sawhorse for her to sit on while he pulled out one for himself.

"I thought I had made it clear that I wanted to return to the team but you seem to still have doubts." she stated. She remained standing. The look on Gibbs' face was making her nervous.

"I don't know where your loyalty lies Ziva." Gibbs also remained standing.

Ziva looked insulted. "My loyalty lies with the team and you Gibbs. I am done with Mossad, Eli is dead to me."

"Your mission was to kill Ari to gain my trust. You've been lying to me since day one. You were never loyal to me, only the mission your father sent you on." His voice rose with each sentence as the reality of how long Ziva had played him hit.

She couldn't hide her surprise that Gibbs knew about her original mission. How could he have known about this? She needed to let him know that was no longer her mission. That had ended long ago when she realized that working with Gibbs made her want some things for herself.

"Ari was my brother Gibbs. I was not lying to you when I told you I believed he was innocent. You had challenged him and he reacted badly. My father wanted Ari neutralized but I ... I wanted to know for sure. So I followed him here. I heard him admit to killing Agent Todd, but he was also going to kill you Gibbs. I could not allow that to happen."

Gibbs watched her as she tried to explain her deception. He tried to contain his anger when she implied that it was his fault that Ari killed Kate. Her disaster with Rivkin and the experience in Somalia did nothing to change her skewed view of things. She was still not willing to take responsibility for her actions and bad judgement.

"When did you let your father know you were no longer following his orders?"

Ziva stiffened at the question. She had never in her life told her father that she would not do what he asked. She knew her father was deceptive and a manipulator, but she really wanted to believe that being his daughter meant that she was treated better than the others. Even when he had blatantly lied to her about Michael, she still followed his orders without question. That had left her trapped in Somalia with a crazy man while everyone thought she was dead. During that time, she thought about what had happened with Michael and her father's role in it. His betrayal had stung, but Michael should not be dead. That betrayal was worse and the person who committed the act should have to face steep consequences. Yes, even now, she did not think she could ever truly cut ties with her father.

"It is not that simple Gibbs." was the quiet response.

Just as he had suspected, she never made any effort to get out of the mission. When Vance told him the real reason Ziva had killed Ari, he couldn't believe how hurt he was that she had been so deceptive. Then he started to wonder why it had been so important that she work with Gibbs. What did Director David gain by having his daughter on the team? What kind of information was she relaying back to him? It made Vance furious that Jenny Shepard made some deal that could have put NCIS at risk for a number of years. It worried Gibbs that he himself had no clue.

"You need to leave my house Ziva." Gibbs turned away from her hoping she would make a quick exit.

"Gibbs! He is not a part of my life anymore. You are more of a father to me than he ever was." Ziva pleaded.

"I will not ask you again." Gibbs stated. He couldn't look at the woman right now.

Ziva let out a sigh. How did things go so wrong? She was so sure that Gibbs would understand and fight for her. As she climbed the basement stairs, she held back tears and tried not to give in to her growing frustration. She made a vow to prove herself to Gibbs again and to make the right person pay for all of her distress.

Gibbs waited a few minutes after he heard the front door close to come up the stairs. He took out his phone from his jacket and hit the speed dial number for the only person he could really trust right now.

"DiNozzo, get your ass over here now. Bring dinner and know that you are not leaving here until I get the truth out of you."


	2. Discoveries

Anthony DiNozzo walked into Gibbs' house unsure of what to expect. Gibbs said he wanted the truth, but the truth about what? Considering the events of the day, it probably had something to do with Ziva. Did he find out about Ziva pulling a gun on him in Israel? That's information that won't be disclosed freely, so he'll wait and see what has Gibbs so worked up this evening.

Gibbs came up from the basement wearing his USMC hoodie sweatshirt and loose jeans looking calm and relaxed, as Tony put the takeout bags on the dining table. Tony knew not to fall for that, the man could be at his most intense without showing it.

"Go change into something more comfortable." Gibbs said calmly as he went through the takeout bag looking for his food.

"Sure." Tony turned and went to the spare bedroom upstairs where he had extra clothes from previous stays with Gibbs. Apparently, he was expecting him to stay the night.

They ate dinner in their usual comfortable silence. While Gibbs cleaned the dishes, Tony moved to the couch and waited. His curiosity ramping up with each minute. Gibbs came to the couch with two beers and handed one to Tony. He waited until Tony took a drink from his to start.

"How do you feel about Ziva returning to the team?"

Tony turned and looked at him for a moment. "I thought it was a done deal."

Tony's attempt at deflection spoke volumes to Gibbs.

"That doesn't answer the question. Do you trust Ziva enough to work with her?"

Tony realized that Gibbs just revealed one of his concerns, or was it a fear, about Ziva. He still couldn't read if Ziva was friend or foe at this point, so he tried to stay neutral.

"Well that's a different question altogether. I have no problem with her returning to the team if that is what you want."

"DiNozzo, I don't want you to tell me what you think I want to hear. You are the SFA of this team. You have some say in who is on the team and I depend on you to help train the junior agents. I know that you talked to her earlier today. How do you feel about her returning to the team?"

Tony sat back against the couch. This was the "truth" that Gibbs was expecting from him. This was an open opportunity to let it be known how he really felt about Ziva. But did Gibbs really want to know? Tony decided to take a chance. He stood up and started pacing.

"I don't think I have ever trusted Ziva. She stormed into the bullpen and sat at Kate's desk while we were still reeling. That was before she was assigned to the team, like she knew she belonged there. When she was assigned, you had already bonded with her and told us we needed to give her a chance and trust her. I tried to do what you asked, but the resentment over Ziva just taking over the life that Kate was supposed to have was always there. And I just felt like there was something more to her, some hidden agenda beneath the surface."

Gibbs was stunned. Tony had never trusted Ziva. Why didn't he say something? Yeah, he had told DiNozzo that he had to accept the fact she was on the team, but never wanted him to work with someone he couldn't come to trust with his life. Gibbs wondered if his apparent instant bond with her made Tony feel like he had lost his place as a close friend.

"Today when she offered her apology," Tony continued, "she said that she thought I was going to be like Ari and Rivkin. Like I was going to be another man that betrayed her trust. How could she think I would ever be like the bastard that killed my partner?" Tony took a deep breath to get his emotions under control. "So, I think you are asking the wrong question Boss. You really need to ask if Ziva can trust and work with me. Despite my feelings, I always had her back and will continue to do so if that's how this ends up. But would she do the same for me? Does she suddenly believe my account of what happened with Rivkin and not want me in front of a firing squad because of it? I'm sorry, but giving you the truth that you wanted means that I must say no. That truth also means that I don't feel like she should be back on the team. At least any team that I'm a part of."

Tony stopped pacing and looked at Gibbs, not sure of the reaction he was going to get. He had left some things out, but he was sure that Gibbs now knew where he stood and why. Gibbs sat on the couch looking towards the coffee table, lost in thought. Tony wondered if he had said too much and Gibbs was trying to figure out a way to get him off the team.

Gibbs finally spoke. "That's what I needed to know. Ziva will not be returning to the team."

Tony stood there surprised by how easy that was and how relieved he was over the decision.

"Really, just like that? The bond you two shared is gone?"

Gibbs looked up at Tony. So, he did feel like he had lost some ground in their friendship. It was time to work on fixing that, starting with telling Tony his own truth.

"The bond happened when she killed Ari in the basement."

Tony's eyes went wide.

"What? She killed her own brother? Why? To save you? She barely knew you."

Gibbs sighed. Of course, Tony would see the things he missed.

"Her father gave her orders to eliminate Ari because he could no longer be controlled and to gain my trust. She's been lying to us since day one."

That admission had been hard for Gibbs, but he continued telling Tony about what Vance had disclosed and his earlier encounter with Ziva in the basement. By the time he finished, Tony was sitting on the couch with his own thoughtful gaze on the wall across the room. He looked calm, but Gibbs knew better. Tony was pissed. Pissed that she had used the team for whatever mysterious purpose Eli David had in mind. Pissed that she had taken advantage of their vulnerable state to worm her way onto the team. Pissed that her lies had almost destroyed the team.

"She actually said that I was a liar. That I couldn't be trusted." Tony said quietly with an undercurrent of anger that made most people take a step back.

Gibbs put his hand on Tony's shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. "Hey, she's gone now. She won't be back on the team and if Vance gets his way, she will be out of NCIS completely. Whatever deal Jenny made with Eli David is now null and void."

Tony took a deep breath and exhaled. Then he turned and looked at Gibbs. "Who has to tell her that she is no longer on the team?"

"I'll let Vance know my final decision first thing in the morning. He will handle giving her the news and getting her out of the building." Not a job that Gibbs envied. "You probably won't ever have to see her again." At least that's what he hoped. The two of them face to face in the bullpen again would not end well.

Tony quietly chuckled. "Ziva will be thrilled. If she hated my guts before, I can't imagine us becoming BFFs after she gets the news."


	3. Confrontation

Gibbs had planned for an early morning meeting with Director Vance to give him his decision on Ziva's future with the team. After driving in together, Tony settled in at his desk while Gibbs went to Vance's office. The meeting was quick. Gibbs didn't offer any specifics on why he didn't want Ziva back, and Vance didn't press for any. He seemed relieved to not have to invent a reason for her to remain with the agency.

Gibbs knew that this would be the end of Ziva's time with the agency and despite her discretions, it saddened him that things didn't end better for her. He had believed in her, saw her potential, saw her as a quick-witted investigator instead of a mindless assassin. She may have destroyed any trust that they had built between them, but her departure from the agency and his life was still going to hurt.

Tony had voiced his concern about how McGee was going to take the news since it seemed that he and Ziva had grown close. Gibbs wanted to believe that he wouldn't approve of her actions and understand why she had to leave. But the fact that he couldn't be sure of that concerned him, and he hoped that his reaction wouldn't damage any of his relationships with the team.

Gibbs left the meeting and went to his desk, giving DiNozzo a quick nod. It was done. Now to move forward. As they worked, the familiar ding of the elevator signaled someone's arrival to their floor. Out stepped Ziva with a security escort. She didn't spare Tony a glance as she walked straight to Gibbs' desk.

"I wanted to come by and say good morning to the team. I am on my way to meet with Director Vance."

"I'm aware of your meeting Ziva." Gibbs stated without looking up from his computer screen.

Ziva noted that Gibbs' coolness towards her had not disappeared overnight. "Well, I shall be on my way then." She turned on her heel and breezed out of the bullpen to the stairs and Director Vance's office.

McGee walked in a few minutes later and stopped short at seeing both senior agents at their desks.

"Good morning. Did we get called for an early case?" he asked while timidly moving to his desk.

"Morning Probie. No new case, we're just in early." Tony stated.

"Oh, ok." McGee visibly relaxed and sat down at his desk. "Has anyone heard from Ziva? She could possibly come back today."

Gibbs looked up at Tony. Tony kept his eyes on his computer.

"She's already in the Directors office." Tony said.

Tony could see McGee give a nod out of the corner of his eye, but he couldn't look up to face anyone. He didn't think he could visibly hide the sense of dread that washed over him.

Ziva sat in the semi-comfortable chair next to Vance's office, waiting to be called in for their meeting. She felt confident that she would join Gibbs' team again. She knew how to work Gibbs to get him to warm up to her, and everyone else would then fall in line, including Tony. He would have no choice, and that is how it should have always been.

Her time in the desert should not be a hindrance. She was physically fit, and mentally she has already endured more than most ever will. Her value to the team was not to be denied with her skills in combat, knowledge of different languages and cultures, and access to international contacts. She was already becoming a good investigator and together with Gibbs, they would be an unstoppable force.

"The Director will see you now." Vance's assistant Cynthia announced. Ziva gave her a nod and stood up, gathering her thoughts. She was ready to start over again.

"Have a seat Officer David." Vance motioned with his hand to a chair in front of his desk.

"I am no longer with Mossad." Ziva was quick to point out as she sat down. She did not want everyone to forget what she was giving up.

"Ok. Miss David, it is." Vance agreed.

Ziva tried to cover the sudden flow of emotion that hit her. She had always had a title since birth and now the significance of having nothing was threatening to overwhelm her.

"Miss David?"

Ziva looked up to find Director Vance looking at her with a bit of concern. She pulled herself together. It would do no good for him to see her as weak. "Let us get started, shall we?"

"I'm conducting this meeting." Vance stated firmly. He pulled out some papers out of one of the files sitting on his desk. "You do understand why we are meeting here today? Your past actions have caused me to reconsider your future with this agency."

Ziva answered with a "yes" while remaining hopeful that Vance would understand why she had to do what she did.

"I'll get to the point." he continued as he looked down at the papers in his hand. "Your position as a Mossad Liaison has been terminated and is effective immediately. You were placed here by former Director Shepard under suspicious circumstances and your actions with Michael Rivkin did not help you. I found them unacceptable and I will not have this agency subjected to deceptive practices. You will be escorted to your former desk and locker to get any personal effects, then taken to the Israeli Embassy where they will arrange for your flight out of the country. As per a directive from the Secretary of the Navy, your work visa is no longer valid."

Ziva was stunned. She was just going to be shipped off and discarded like she didn't matter. This was not fair. No matter how she got here, she still did her job and did it well. Her contribution to the agency was now going to be ignored. _All because of him_!

"Director, I do not understand why you are doing this."

"Miss David, even though you were not a federal agent, you still had an obligation to this agency. We trusted you and gave you access to databases, and sensitive to classified information for you to perform your duties as an investigator. Your actions in protecting Michael Rivkin when you knew he had been ordered out of the country could be viewed as treason. You're lucky you get to return to Israel instead of being sent to Guantanamo Bay."

Ziva could not believe what she was hearing. This was completely wrong. "I was in the process of having Michael sent home when Agent DiNozzo put his butt where it did not belong and messed it up!" she shouted, unable to contain her frustration.

"You will lower your voice. And it was not your job to give him a place to stay until he decided to leave. Agent DiNozzo had nothing to do with that. Everything you did raised a lot of questions about how far you are willing to go for Mossad."

"It was my job." Ziva countered. "As the Liason for Mossad, I am responsible for making sure the interactions between our agencies goes smoothly. And I can answer any questions if you give me a chance."

"Michael Rivkin was not working with NCIS and you know it. Your deception and bad judgement are why you are being terminated."

"Anthony DiNozzo killed a Mossad agent and he should not be allowed to continue as an agent or decide if I can be one." Ziva hissed, wanting to emphasize who she felt was responsible for her troubles.

"Apparently, you have not been paying attention for the last year, but I am the Director of this agency. My signature is the one on your termination papers, not Agent DiNozzo's." Vance stated, pointing to the files on his desk.

"My father will not stand for this."

"You have supposedly cut ties with your father, and this agency is cutting ties with you, so it doesn't matter." He hadn't meant to sound petulant, but he was done with this conversation and he just wanted her gone. Plus, her threat of involving the man who purposely tried to undermine several government agencies on her behalf, just solidified his decision to terminate her.

Ziva gave Vance a death glare as he called for a security escort. When they arrived, he stood up, ending the conversation and basically dismissing Ziva. She stood and with her chin held high, marched down to the bullpen. Vance walked out of his office and watched from the landing above.

Ziva walked to her desk, glaring at Tony the entire time while he sat at his desk. The only reaction he gave was to narrow his eyes and watch her.

"Ziva!" McGee called out. "Are you back? When do you start?" he asked, oblivious to the two security guards who were watching her.

"I have been terminated McGee. It appears that not everyone feels that I should have a place on this team."

"What! You've been fired. Why?"

"You need to talk to Tony. I do not know why I have to pay for a crime he committed." Ziva spat while still glaring at Tony.

McGee cast a confused glance at Tony, then back to Ziva. "This has to be a mistake." He exclaimed, standing up and looking over at Gibbs. Gibbs was looking intently at Ziva but not making any moves to protest what was happening. McGee was truly confused.

Tony was still watching Ziva, but he could see Gibbs out of the corner of his eye. He knew the man was at the ready should things start to go south. His hand was probably within inches of his service weapon. _Damn, how did it get to this point?_

"Tell him Tony. Tell McGee how you want me to pay for all of your mistakes!" she shouted at Tony.

"Like trusting you when all you do is lie through your teeth?" He had hoped not to talk to her at all because he knew that responding to her was just going to lead to more drama. Why couldn't she just walk out of here with a little dignity?

The security guards were grabbing her within two steps of her trying to lunge at Tony. He didn't even flinch and continued to give her a hard stare. But Gibbs was up and he stormed over positioning himself between Tony's desk and Ziva, who was struggling against the guards.

"Enough!", he bellowed, getting Ziva's attention. "Your time here at NCIS is done Ziva. You need to leave."

The hurt expression on Ziva's face had Tony feeling some sympathy for her. Which disappeared when she opened her mouth.

"I should have killed you in Israel!", she spat at him causing McGee to gasp and Gibbs to turn in Tony's direction with a raised eyebrow.

 _Damn, damn, damn!_

Ziva yanked herself free while giving Tony one last death glare, and stormed to the stairwell with security following behind her. Once she left the bullpen, the shock of what happened wore off McGee. He turned to Tony.

"What the hell did you do to her?", he snapped.

"Are you kidding me McGee?" Tony bit back.

"Stand down McGee. There are things that you don't know." Gibbs knew that he would take the news of Ziva leaving hard, but he didn't expect him to turn on Tony so fiercely. He looked over at Tony who was trying to avoid his gaze. There were some things that he himself apparently didn't know either, but he sure as hell was going to find out.

Tony was surprised by Tim's sudden turn on him, but he knew that he had bigger problems. Gibbs was going to find out about his violent encounter with Ziva and that he kept it a secret. He didn't have to make eye contact with the man to know that he was screwed.


	4. A Line in the Sand

A/N: Thank you for all of your reviews and follows for this story. I hope that I can continue to keep your interest. I had a couple of reviewers who felt that McGee might be a little too clueless in this story. I do give him a bit of a backbone, but also some bad judgement (sorry). Just like on the show, the main characters in this story are flawed, and while Tony is my favorite character, he's got to face some facts about his past decisions also. And to answer another reviewer, this is not a slash story. I made Gibbs nicer and more talkative because writing for a functional mute can be a challenge (I took the easy way out). I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Gibbs had ushered McGee into an actual conference room to explain why Ziva was gone. Although he looked like he wanted to object to some of the things he was told, he said he understood the reasoning behind her dismissal. He returned to his desk looking like he had a new resolve and Gibbs hoped he would put some of that energy towards strengthening his relationship with DiNozzo so another person couldn't push them to different sides. Satisfied that one of his agents was going to be ok, he went to the Director's office in hopes of figuring out what the other one was hiding from him.

Director Vance was expecting his visit. "I hope that you were able to help Agent McGee accept what has happened."

Gibbs plopped down into the chair facing Vance's large desk. "He'll deal with it just like everybody else has to."

"It would have been nice if you had given him a heads up with what was happening." Vance said with a touch of admonishment. "He was caught completely off guard."

Gibbs let out a sigh. He knew that he should have talked to McGee as soon as he came in to work. He had been stewing over Ziva's early morning visit and thinking about how different he wanted the next agent on his team to be. By the time Ziva came storming down the stairs, he realized that he had lost some valuable time to prepare everyone for the fall out he knew was coming.

"Just make sure," Vance continued, "that he can really handle this. People move on all the time in this agency. The MCRT shouldn't implode over this. Betrayal or not, everyone still needs to do their jobs, and I trust that you can make sure that happens."

Gibbs nodded and focused on what he initially came to the office for. "I'm sure that you heard David's threat to DiNozzo. Something happen in Israel that I didn't know about?"

Vance sat back in his chair and thought for a moment. "I'm not aware of anything. But that doesn't mean nothing happened."

"I'd hate to think that she could have gotten to DiNozzo and done something right under our noses. But then dragging him to Israel created the perfect set up for that." Gibbs said.

"Yes, your displeasure over my decision to have DiNozzo face Eli David is noted now, along with all of the other times." Vance said giving Gibbs a mild glare. "Just be glad that Ziva David is gone and we can move on."

Gibbs returned the glare. "You better be sure that Eli David doesn't have a loophole to bring Ziva or anyone else back into this agency."

Timothy McGee wasn't finished with Anthony DiNozzo, and he let it be known as soon as Gibbs had left the bullpen.

"So, what did you do to Ziva in Israel, Tony?"

Tony didn't make any effort to hide his eye roll. "I didn't do anything to Ziva, anywhere McGee. I'm pretty sure Gibbs explained Ziva's deception and how it led to her termination."

"Yeah, but I'd like to know your part in it."

"I had no part in her lying to us for over three years Probie. As for Rivkin, he wasn't the person I went to Ziva's to talk to and it became a kill or be killed situation."

"But Rivkin didn't have to die Tony. There had to have been another way to deal with him. You started series of events that led to Ziva being sent back to Israel, so how can you say you didn't do anything?" McGee challenged.

"First, Agent McGee, you weren't there, so you can't really assess my options of what I should have done while Rivkin was trying to kill me. Second, Officer David knowingly harbored a criminal who was responsible for the deaths of two people, one being a Federal Agent. I didn't put Ziva in that situation to begin with, so I don't know why you think I'm responsible for it." DiNozzo didn't like being on the defensive, but McGee was being unreasonable.

McGee stood up and stepped towards DiNozzo's desk, and Tony stood stepping towards him, stopping both in-between their desks.

"You're the reason Ziva was left in Israel and that led to her being in Somalia. You're responsible for everything that happened to her there."

Tony narrowed his eyes and tried to remember that he and McGee were friends, or at least they were yesterday. "You need to stop right now, take a step back, and think about what you're saying. You are about to cross a line Agent McGee."

McGee continued undaunted by the warning. "But you couldn't stop there could you Tony? You had to twist the knife and have Ziva terminated and sent back to Israel. Are you happy that you got to show how much of a bad-ass you are by destroying her life and getting her sent away? Do you have any special plans for me?"

A commanding voice that was not Tony's provided a response. "I plan on reminding you who oversees this agency Special Agent McGee."

McGee's eyes went wide and his face went pale. He slowly turned to his side to see Director Vance standing in front of his desk. And to make the situation worse, Gibbs was standing next to him wearing an expression of anger mixed with disappointment.

"For the past year, I have been the Director of this agency which makes me responsible for the personnel. While Agent DiNozzo is a damn good agent and could be a good Director, I am the person who signs off on who stays or goes. I supported Agent Gibbs in Israel when he decided that Ziva David was not right for his team and I made it official when she returned to the states because of circumstances you are aware of. For the final time, Agent DiNozzo does not decide who stays or goes, nor did he come to me and suggest Miss David's termination. If you have a problem with my decision Agent McGee, I have no problem accepting your resignation from this agency."

Vance waited for Mcgee's quiet "No Sir." He continued, "This will be documented as a verbal reprimand in response to your disrespecting a higher-ranking agent in your chain of command." He gave Gibbs a look that basically said 'Fix your team' and walked up the steps to his office.

Gibbs walked up to McGee, leaving him almost no personal space, and stood there like he was waiting for an explanation. McGee couldn't look Gibbs in the eye and was having trouble finding the words to get him out of the hole.

"I'm sorry things got out of hand Boss." Tony offered. "McGee and I had a misunderstanding, and – " Gibbs shot him a look that clearly told him to shut up. Tony visibly winced.

"Right, I'll just continue what I was doing." Tony sat down at his desk. Gibbs was tired of Tony always trying to take the heat off his teammates especially now that he knew they didn't appreciate it. Plus, McGee should be man enough to stand by whatever comes out of his mouth.

Gibbs turned back to McGee, who took a deep breath and offered, "I'm sorry Boss. I just needed some answers."

Gibbs replied in his dangerously quiet tone, "We talked and I gave you all the answers. If you had more questions, you should have come to me."

McGee's eyes fluttered closed as he waited for the verbal onslaught he was sure Gibbs was about to lay on him. Gibbs' voice was still quiet as he began to set him straight.

"I requested that Ziva not be on the team because she could not be trusted. She lied and kept secrets that put members of this team in danger. I do not work with people that I cannot trust and I won't ask anyone else to do it either. I'll get to the point and ask you straight on McGee. Can you perform your duties on this team? That means working with me _and_ Agent DiNozzo. If that is going to be an issue, just give me your badge and weapon, and we'll call it a day. No hard feelings."

McGee had opened his eyes due to the quietness of Gibbs' voice. He was surprised by how calm Gibbs sounded, and by how effortlessly he could just let him go from the team, like it wasn't a big deal.

"That…That's not what I want Boss."

"Can you work with me and Agent DiNozzo? Honest answer McGee."

"Yes Boss."

Gibbs gave him a long hard look. He wasn't convinced and his gut started to flare up. One thing was for certain, McGee was going to be on a real short leash.

"Consider this your final warning Agent McGee."

Gibbs turned and walked towards the elevators. "DiNozzo, with me!" he bellowed.

Tony had been sitting at his desk wishing he could just disappear. Sure, the Probie needed to be knocked down a peg, but didn't want to be present while it happened. Now Gibbs had his sights set on him and it didn't take a rocket scientist to know what this would be about. He let out a heavy sigh and followed Gibbs to the elevator.

As expected, once the elevator started moving, Gibbs hit the emergency stop button. Tony, still not willing to freely offer information, looked down and away while being glared at.

"Be at my house this evening. We're going to talk about everything DiNozzo. _Everything_."

Tony gave Gibbs a quick glance then looked away again. "There's no point Gibbs. Ziva is gone from NCIS and on her way to a country half a world away."

Gibbs took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling trying to control his anger. "This has been a rough day. For both of us. I realize that Ziva is no longer in a position that we can punish her, but I want to know everything that transpired between you two. I want to know how far she carried things."

"Having second thoughts Gibbs?" Tony spat out before he could stop himself. He was now glaring at his team leader, dangerously close to losing control. He was still upset over McGee's reaction and he had begun wondering when he became the bad guy in all of this. He felt that Ziva had been given more than a few second chances to be part of the team, but her agenda to ruin the team, at least Tony's part in it, took over. Maybe Gibbs also thought that Tony was creating too many problems and was rethinking who needed to leave the agency.

Gibbs took a step back more out of concern than surprise over Tony's outburst. He studied the man and saw him trying to reign in his emotions. Anxiety, anger, uncertainty, and loneliness over everything that had transpired the last few months, well the last 3 years.

"I don't have any doubts about who needed to go. And I'm not blaming you for her actions. I just don't want any more secrets. That's how we got here in the first place."

Gibbs turned and flipped the emergency switch. Nothing more was said as the two men walked out of the elevator and back to their desks.


	5. Shifting Winds

Jacob Ansari was a proud and successful Israeli man. He came to America to get degrees in Economics and International Relations from Georgetown University, then returned to Israel to become part of the Prime Minister's inner circle. When he was recommended for Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., he was happy and honored to return to America and be a guide in stabilizing relations between the two countries.

But now he was questioning his purpose here. Mossad Director Eli David seems to have been busy over the past few years by-passing policy and creating his own rules. When he got the call this morning from the Department of Defense asking if he had any knowledge about operatives being sent to the U.S., and if Ziva David was officially involved in any side missions for Mossad, he nearly started throwing things. As far as he knew, she was working with the Department of the Navy and it was an assignment, not an operation. He called the Prime Minister and was told to keep his distance from affairs concerning Mossad. He was to make sure that Ziva David left the country and was delivered directly to her father. Eli David was a man who could escalate the situation for his own gain and no one wanted that.

They had just called his office and informed him that Ziva David had arrived and was waiting for him in a conference room. All he needed to do now was tell her she would be going back to Israel and would not be allowed back into the United States and get her signature of understanding to make it official. It didn't matter if she refused, she was still leaving the country. But he had questions about what happened. It must have been serious since ICE was not handling Ms. David's departure. That would have made things more public, something he sensed both countries wanted to avoid.

He walked into the conference room and immediately felt Ziva's cold eyes on him. She was sitting in the corner of the room facing the door, not in front of any windows, so she could immediately see who walked in, but he had to turn to see her. He held down the shiver as he thought of how this was a perfect set up for an assassin. His deputy ambassador Simon Ramon also walked in and they sat down at the large table.

"Hello, I am Ambassador Jacob Ansari, and this is my deputy Simon Ramon." He gave her a long look. "Ms. David, you can join us at the table. We are not here to discipline you, we just need to provide you with some information." Jacob stated.

Ziva continued to sit and stare at the men, clearly not interested in moving or speaking.

Jacob sighed and started with the briefing. "Alright. Ziva David, you do understand that you have been ordered out of the United States and its territories and cannot ever return?" After no response, he continued. "You will be received by your father Eli David once you arrive in Tel Aviv. I need your signature to confirm your understanding of what is occurring, and know that your refusal doesn't stop the transfer to Israel." He pushed a pen and the form to the far end of the table towards Ziva.

She glared at the form then back at the men, then moved her chair forward to sign the paper. Her head snapped up when she heard the next question.

"Was it worth it?"

Ziva narrowed her eyes at Jacob Ansari as she responded. "What?"

"Was it worth it?" he repeated. "Did you do anything that would bring pride to our country? I hope that you are going through this for something worthwhile." Jacob said hoping that she might provide details.

"I do not answer to you." Ziva coolly replied.

"No, you don't." Jacob agreed. "But I know that two of our Israeli citizens were killed some months ago, and they were linked to the deaths of Americans. They were Mossad. Maybe you can share what happened since you were a liaison. Did they contact you? Why were they here?" Simon shot him a look of warning, but he looked at Ziva expecting answers.

"There are things that you do not need to know. But understand that removing me from this country will prevent me from finishing my work." Ziva stated putting an end to the inquiry.

Jacob just looked at Ziva, disappointed that there had to be so many secrets because they just seemed to give Eli David more power. He knew that the Prime Minister wanted him to have plausible deniability, but he also felt that knowing what was going on would help him protect Israeli interests.

He stood and took the signed document from Ziva. "We are working on getting you on a direct flight to Tel Aviv, but that may not be possible until tomorrow. You will have a room to rest in until the arrangements are set. Someone will come get you when it is ready and provide you with some lunch."

Ziva looked back at him unimpressed and the two men walked out of the room. About ten minutes later, Simon Ramon walked back into the room and placed a glass of water on the table in front of her. She looked at him, waiting to see what he was trying to do.

"You were close to Michael Rivkin. You don't have to answer if you were involved in his last mission, but please tell me what happened to him."

Ziva sensed that things could possibly turn in her favor. "You knew Michael?"

"We were together for two missions in Cairo. Even though he was Mossad, I found him to be a good officer and a good man. I would like to know how he met his end."

Ziva gave him an intense look. "He was murdered by an American agent for no reason other than jealousy."

Simon sat back in his chair stunned. Murdered? An American agent can get away with killing an Israeli officer for no reason? "Is this why you are leaving? Did he threaten to kill you too?"

She knew she needed to play this right. "Yes. And I also made my own threat. That is why the Americans will not let me stay in this country."

He looked at Ziva with some skepticism. "I deal with both governments and I don't believe that either would approve of a senseless murder. Are you sure of what happened?"

"Yes." Ziva hissed. "I should be avenging his murder. I can right the wrong that was done to him."

"And then what would you do Ziva David?" Simon challenged. "This embassy may not be able to help you after committing such an act. Your father cannot come in and save you like he used to be able to. Things have changed."

"Do not worry about my father. He can do what he needs to protect me and anyone who helps me avenge Michael. Do you not want justice for him, for our country?" Ziva returned the challenge.

"I am aware of how your father operates. He probably has a lot to do with your current situation, and you still want to believe he will help you. I am not naive about what Michael Rivkin was doing in working for your father. Michael was smart and he saved my life, but I saw part of his dark side. Something your father probably used to his advantage."

Ziva leveled a glare at the man who just insulted her father and her boyfriend. His friendship with Michael may not be enough to override his disdain for her father. She had her own issues with her father, his need to control her, the tendency to keep secrets from her, his need for her absolute loyalty. He had been more like her commanding officer than her father. In the end, she knew that her loyalty would be rewarded, which was why she needed to not go back to Israel. Not yet.

"Michael saved your life. Does that not deserve repayment by you? What are you doing if not requesting the head of the person who killed an Israeli citizen?" Ziva spat.

"Questioning my loyalty will not make me help you leave here so you can go kill an American citizen. I was hoping to understand, hoping to find a good reason for all of these things that happened over the past months. But I see you are like your father. Doing whatever you want without any care to what it does to the rest of us. Your loyalty is to yourself only." Simon stated.

He gave Ziva a long stare, then turned his back to leave the room. That was a mistake. He felt her arms circle around his neck and her weight on his back, the momentum pulling him away from the door. She wrapped her legs around his waist to gain leverage against his tall frame. Simon tried to use it to his advantage as he let himself and Ziva fall backwards into the large wooden table.

Ziva let out an "oomph" as they hit the table hard, but she stubbornly held her grip on the now wildly struggling man. She kept the pressure on the sleeper hold so he could not cry out and was immensely relieved when his struggling finally started to wane. She was also grateful that she managed to stay on the table and not fall to the floor where he could have worked himself free. As he went limp, she didn't have the energy to hold them both up, so she let him slide to the ground with a thud. The encounter was quiet and efficient, with only a few chairs getting knocked out of place and the glass of water laying on its side. The whole time she was here, she had listened for activity outside the door in the hallway, not hearing much of anything. She noticed the area they brought her to was not very busy, maybe people were at lunch or this part of the embassy was not highly populated.

She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Then she jumped down from the table and searched Simon's body for things she may need. She took his ID badge with his access card, took his cash out of his wallet, and found his car keys. Moving through the building would be her next challenge and then she needed to contact people who were loyal to her father because that would equal loyalty to her.

She quickly walked to the door, smoothed and straightened her clothing, clipped the ID badge to her pants backwards so the picture was not visible, then stepped into the hallway. Moving in the opposite direction from how she was brought in, she hoped to find some stairs and a back door. She moved with confidence, like she belonged in the area. She knew what her mission was and damn anyone who got in her way.

Gibbs had expected the call. After McGee had been called to the Director's office to sign his reprimand, he disappeared for roughly an hour. Gibbs knew that he went to Abby to vent his displeasure over everything that happened, and maybe to gain some sympathy. When he finally returned, he sat at his desk not looking at anyone, just focusing on the files on his desk. It wasn't even three minutes after his return before she called.

After not really being able to get a word in, he hung up and announced "I'm going to the lab." McGee shot him a guilty look and then quickly went back to his files. "DiNozzo, go get some lunch." Gibbs told him, then added, "Take your time." He was wary of leaving his two agents alone together. McGee needed more time to accept Ziva's departure and deal with not being able to get all his questions answered. Everyone had questions that weren't going to be answered.

Tony shot Gibbs a confused look, then realized what Gibbs was trying to do. With a huff, he grabbed his jacket and stormed down the stairs. Gibbs looked over at McGee, who still would not look at him, and told him to take a lunch break also. He was still sitting at his desk when Gibbs headed towards the elevator. Gibbs decided not to push. The last thing that was needed or wanted was another heated confrontation, and he just wasn't sure where McGee's head was at.

Abby was waiting for him when he entered the lab.

"What the hell is going on Gibbs?" she demanded. "What happened to Ziva? Is she really gone?"

Gibbs didn't see a reason to drag this out. "Yeah she's gone. Her actions caused me and the agency to lose trust in her. She was sent back to Israel."

Abby's eyes grew wide. "Gibbs that's not fair. Her boyfriend was killed and everybody acts like she's not supposed to be upset about that. Just because she's mad at Tony doesn't mean she needs to be sent away."

Gibbs gave Abby a stern look. "Do you really think that's all it was? Is that all McGee chose to tell you? There's a hell of a lot more to this situation, Abby."

"Yeah Gibbs, I get that." Abby said trying to tamp down her annoyance over being the last person to know anything. "It just seems that she didn't get a chance to explain before everyone made up their mind to send her away. I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye."

Gibbs did feel bad about that. It had taken awhile, but Abby had managed to move past the loss of Kate and allow Ziva to become a friend. They didn't really have the sisterly bond that she had with Kate, but Abby has stood up for Ziva whenever the situation called for it. There was a very select few that she would put herself out on a limb for.

"I know Abs, things just happened so fast." He said pulling her into a hug.

"You mean after Tony convinced you to send her away?" Abby said bitterly against Gibbs' ear.

Gibbs grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back to arm's length. He levelled her with a glare and she wanted to take a step back, but he was still holding on to her. She decided that her need to stand up for her friends was worth dealing with Gibbs' ire. Besides, at some point he would come around to her side. He always did.

"You let Tony convince you to send her away. And when Timmy tried to confront him and defend Ziva, you threatened his job Gibbs. He loves working for you. Do you know what your threat did to him?"

Gibbs let go of her shoulders because he needed to get some distance between them. He was disappointed because he had experienced when Abby had been open-minded and wanted to get every point of view before deciding about a person. But it seemed that Tony had lost the benefit of doubt with her, if he ever had it in the first place.

"My threat matched the Director's threat when McGee decided to mouth off to a higher-ranking agent. Much like you're doing right now." He ignored Abby's gasp. "If your goal in asking me to come down here was to garner sympathy for him, then you failed. The need everyone has to bitch about DiNozzo and then ignore the responsibility Ziva has in this just pisses me off and convinces me that getting her off the team was the right thing."

Abby vigorously shook her head. "No. No Gibbs. It was not the right thing. No matter how Tony felt, we all should have had a say. That's what real members of a team do." She crossed her arms and waited for Gibbs to admit he was wrong.

"You know what Abs?" Abby's eyes widened with hope. "She threatened DiNozzo's life. Do you really want someone like that protecting Timmy out in the field? Someone who turns against him when they hear something they don't like?"

Abby sighed. "Gibbs, you – "

"DiNozzo has stood by you, protected you, even saved your life." Gibbs interrupted. "He has proven to be one of the best friends any of us could have, even to McGee. He has stood by you when you disappointed him and hurt him with your selfishness." Gibbs turned while shaking his head and walked towards to doors to leave the lab. At the last second, he turned back to Abby. "You think Ziva deserved another chance, but she had over three years to come clean. The moment it all hit the fan, she still wanted to place the blame on someone else, DiNozzo, her father, Rivkin." He ticked off the names using his fingers. "Hell, she probably would have turned on you if she had known that you helped find evidence against her."

Abby had to look away. She hated that moment when she and McGee revealed to Gibbs that Ziva had been in contact with Michael Rivkin. As bad as it looked, she still wanted to believe there was a reasonable explanation she was … lying to everyone.

Gibbs continued, hoping to get his point across. "DiNozzo doesn't deserve her as a friend or teammate, and I'm starting to believe that he doesn't deserve you either." Gibbs walked out of the lab leaving a devastated Abby to question what she thought she really believed.


	6. Hard Truths

The three men in the bullpen could not hide their relief as evening came and Gibbs released them to go home. The tension between them was thick and no one spoke to each other unless it was case related. Gibbs was growing concerned that his two agents wouldn't be able to work together anymore. The ball was in Tim's court and he hoped that Tim was smart and mature enough not to throw his career away over Ziva.

Tim had gathered his things and was headed to the elevator. After tossing out a "Goodnight, Boss." to the older man, he looked at Tony as he walked past his desk. Tony didn't raise his head or acknowledge him in anyway. McGee looked like he was going to say something, but just shook his head and continued to the elevator. Gibbs could see the still-pissed expression on his face as the elevator doors closed. Ok, maybe the ball was not so much in Tim's court.

"You ready to go DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked as he powered down his computer.

"I rode with you, so I guess I have no choice." Tony stated as he packed up his things.

"You can take a cab. But we're still going to talk about you and Ziva." There was no way he was going to let this go.

"And if I tell you that there is nothing to talk about?" Tony practically whined.

"DiNozzo" Gibbs growled in a warning to stop testing him.

Tony dropped he head back against his chair and closed his eyes while breathing deeply. He admired Gibbs as a mentor, thought of him as a good friend, but sometimes….

"Stop trying to stall, or you will be paying for a cab." Gibbs announced as he walked past Tony's desk to the elevator.

Tony rolled his eyes, then quickly grabbed his things and ran into the elevator as the doors closed.

Gibbs glanced over at his SFA in the elevator. "I saw that."

They pulled into the driveway of the house that Tony always felt represented a safe haven. He wondered if he would still be welcomed after this talk Gibbs insisted on having. Gibbs hated to be lied to, by omission or directly. Ziva's abrupt departure from the agency proved that. Gibbs had really cared for her, but he cut her out of his life because of her deception. No one was safe.

He also wondered why this was so important to Gibbs. No one on or associated with the team was big on talking, except Ducky. They have each had some pretty hellish experiences and no one wanted to talk afterwards. When he came back to work after his bout with the plague, Kate and McGee made it clear they did not want to hear how tough it had been for him. Gibbs himself had been shot, beaten up, blown up, and poisoned, all within the last three years. Not once did he express any interest in talking, at least not to him. He was a 'suck it up and move on' kind of guy which was a contradiction of the man who was anchored in the past almost to the point of being nonfunctional. Was this need to talk because Ziva was involved? Would Gibbs be able to get past his feelings for her to give him some support? He was really beginning to doubt that this was going to go well.

Gibbs glanced over to the passenger side, concerned by how quiet Tony was during the ride. Whatever he was holding back from him must be big. And while he understood that his reaction might be unpleasant, he couldn't help feeling a little hurt that Tony didn't consider coming to him.

The two men walked into the house and Tony went and sat on the couch as if he were waiting for a punishment. Gibbs continued to the kitchen and came back with two beers. He sat next to Tony and handed him one. After taking a long sip, he turned towards the younger man, pulling and bending his leg up in front of him on the couch.

"Tell me what happened between you and Ziva David in Isreal." Gibbs calmly requested.

"Come on Boss, it's not important anymore."

"So, something important did happen over there." Gibbs deduced.

Tony looked away and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to push a headache away. He knew that Gibbs was not going to let this go. He was sitting on the couch facing Tony like he was expecting a bedtime story. Tony took a deep breath and met his boss' gaze. "I was just trying to let her release some of her anger. She had just found out about her father's lies and she was still upset over Rivken."

Gibbs nodded, waiting patiently for Tony to continue.

"I egged her on Boss. It didn't take much since she was already pissed at me. We exchanged words, of course hers were much harsher, which led to a small incident."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes at Tony for trying to be vague.

"Trust me Boss. What was said is really not important." Tony was thinking about how Ziva implied she wished he had been killed instead of Rivkin. It made him sad that it was the fuel behind her anger and he wondered what exactly was the nature of their relationship. Tony realized that he had zoned out and decided that he needed to get this over with.

"Long story short Boss, she did a leg sweep which had me on the ground on my back, then she pulled out her weapon and pointed it at my leg and chest to demonstrate how easy it would be to kill me. I guess her biggest regret over the whole thing is not pulling the trigger." Tony chuckled, trying to make light of the incident.

But Gibbs wasn't amused. He sat and looked at Tony for a long while, letting the information sink in. Then finally, a reaction. "She pulled her weapon on you and you didn't think it was important enough to tell me?" Anger, disbelief and, the one that stung Tony the most, disappointment colored Gibbs' face and voice.

"The next time I had a chance to talk to you," Tony explained, "we were on the plane home and Ziva wasn't there. It didn't matter anymore."

"The hell it didn't!" Gibbs shouted as he stood from the couch. "Your partner threatened you, on top of the suspicion of treason she brought on herself. She shouldn't have been allowed back into the U.S."

"And if she _had_ been on that plane, what would have happened Gibbs?" Tony asked, his own anger building. "What would have happened when you found out what she had done?"

"Why would you ask that DiNozzo? You think I would've let her walk high and proud back into NCIS?"

"I think," Tony stated while standing up, "that she would have gotten a gentle reprimand from you, and I would have gotten a hard headslap plus a dressing down for upsetting Ziva when she was going through such a tough time."

Gibbs was dumbfounded. "What? There is no way Ziva would've gotten a pass for what she did."

"So, am I to believe that Ziva would have been off the team when you found out? Not knowing what you do now, still thinking that your bond was still intact. Would that have even been an option?"

Gibbs just looked at Tony, unsure of what he wanted him to say. He ground out, "I'm not going to try to defend a 'what might have been' with you. You didn't give me a chance to do anything, did you?"

Tony looked down and said in a softer tone, "I didn't tell you because I knew nothing would happen."

Gibbs opened his mouth to object, but Tony continued. "You see Ziva as a daughter who can do no wrong and I'm the screw up that needs to be held accountable for everything. I'm not sure when or how I lost favor with you, but you've made it pretty clear who matters on the team and who doesn't."

By now, Gibbs had his arms crossed over his chest to control his response, but he still pinned Tony with an intense stare. "For the record DiNozzo, Ziva gave me an ultimatum between you and her, that's why she was not on that plane, because I chose you. As for her being some daughter that I can't stand to punish…. yeah, I felt like a protective father, but I know that was her angle. It's pretty clear that after she found out about…" He had to stop and take a deep breath. "Kelly. She tried to make herself just as important in my life."

"And it worked." Tony softly replied. "She was untouchable, didn't have to take responsibility for any of her actions."

Gibbs couldn't stop himself from getting defensive. "Do you really believe that I manage the team so that everyone doesn't have equal responsibility for their actions?"

Tony's silence was deafening and Gibbs' anger grew with every second. Finally, Gibbs let loose with an issue that had always bothered him.

"You DiNozzo, _you_ were just as responsible for letting her get away with this as you want to believe I am because you didn't say anything. What else has she done that I don't know about? You can't stand here and accuse me of not properly doing my job when you completely failed to do yours. You don't need me to hold your hand to report her, DiNozzo. I expect more from my Senior Field Agent!"

"It's funny how I become a leader on the team when it conveniently takes the heat off you." Tony growled.

"You don't act like a leader." Gibbs replied. "You don't report someone because you're afraid of getting your feelings hurt."

"I am the Second-in-Command and you have me jumping through the same hoops as the junior agents! A clear message to everyone that you don't respect me or my position!"

"You earn what you get from me DiNozzo!"

"So, I haven't earned your respect or my position? When the hell did that happen? Why did you even bother to bring me back from Israel, Gibbs? You could've had your perfect team with your perfect agents without having to tolerate my screw ups!"

Gibbs closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was out of control. The goal had been to show that he supported Tony but he was more wounded than he thought and they both got defensive. Tony started for the door before he could formulate what he wanted to say.

"I'll do us both a favor and go away." Tony felt so defeated, and it took everything in him not to run out the door. The front door closed hard leaving Gibbs standing in the living room wondering what to do next.

Tony drove to his apartment in a haze and he sat in his parking space with a continuous loop of the argument playing in his mind. He had said some things to Gibbs that he shouldn't have and now he needed to apologize to a guy who didn't believe in apologies.

"That bitch!" he hissed, thinking of Ziva. It was ironic that her plan to create a wedge between him and Gibbs was now working _after_ she was gone and couldn't benefit from it. He was reaching for the door handle when an arm came from behind his seat and across his neck, pinning him to the seat. After feeling a prick, everything went black.


	7. Rolling Downhill

Ziva moved quickly through the neighborhood, staying away from the main roads as much as possible. She left the stolen car in Stafford, Virginia after contacting a plastic surgeon that she knew was loyal to her father. Before she left for America, her father gave her a list of contacts that he trusted, and that she suspected kept tabs on her. The doctor could not hide her nervousness as she gave Ziva the drug she was asking for, some cash, and a change of clothing. Ziva knew that the stern warning she issued not to tell her father she was here would be ignored, and maybe that was a good thing. If what she planned did not work out, she would need his resources to get out of the country.

After a commuter train and three bus rides, she came to the house of the man she knew would work hard to make things right for her again.

Gibbs.

Walking up the front steps, she heard loud voices. Tony was there, and it did not sound like Gibbs was very happy with him, although it seemed that Tony was standing up to him. Unable to understand what was being said, Ziva realized that she had to decide. She could hope that this was the beginning of the end of Gibbs' and Tony's friendship and that Gibbs would toss Tony aside to help her. Or she could accomplish her main objective and eliminate Tony DiNozzo for good.

The decision was easy, although the execution would be tricky. She rushed over to Tony's car sitting in the driveway and checked for an unlocked door. It was not going to be that easy. She pulled out her picks and prayed that she could work quickly enough to not be caught. Getting the door open and climbing into the space between the front and back seats, she was willing to wait. Quickly pulling the anesthetic drug from her bag and preparing the needle, she knew she would only get one chance.

The driver's side door was suddenly yanked open, and Tony climbed into the seat. The slamming of the door left little doubt that he was upset. 'Perfect.', Ziva thought. The drive was smooth and quiet, with Tony staring straight ahead the entire time. The car eventually stopped, and the engine was turned off. Tony was tightly gripping the steering wheel when he suddenly slammed his fists against it and shouted, "That bitch!".

Ziva sprang up from behind the seat and wrapped her left arm around Tony's neck to impede any movement towards the door, then quickly jabbed the needle into his neck with the right arm. She knew it was working as the tight grip Tony had on her arm loosened and his body went slack. A hard push to the right and the upper part of his body was on the passenger side of the car.

The position Tony's body was in looked uncomfortable, but Ziva didn't care. She scanned the area, berating herself for not being more careful before she attacked Tony. They must be in the parking area of his condominium. It was a nice, well-lit area, that luckily did not have anyone walking around at that time. She pulled out the disposable phone she purchased and called a number she remembered by heart.

Timothy McGee was at home sitting at his writing desk, thinking about pretty much everything. He kept going over Tony and Ziva's altercation in the bullpen. Ziva had lashed out in hurt and anger, and Tony had just sat there looking cold and unaffected. Maybe he didn't make the final decision, but it was obvious that he wanted Ziva gone.

And how come he was left out of the decision to fire her? Tim knew that he was brought onto the team because he had a certain skill set, but they were still a team. He understood there was concern about her passing sensitive information back to Mossad, but a quick computer search could prove her innocence. But if it happened over the phone or through a contact, that was another thing. Tim slowly shook his head. If he had been included when Gibbs and Tony decided, he could have convinced them to not be so quick to get rid of Ziva. Do some investigating first, and stick up for your teammate. Then that whole ugly scene in the bullpen wouldn't have happened.

The ringing of his phone snapped him out of his thoughts. The number was listed as unknown and debated whether to answer. He resigned himself to the possible torture of a telemarketer. How much worse could this day get? "Hello?"

"McGee!" The shout startled him, but he knew exactly who it was.

"Ziva? How are you? I really wanted the chance to say goodbye, and – "

"I do not have time for your small talk McGee." Ziva interrupted. "I need a place to stay."

"What?" McGee was confused. "Aren't you in Israel? What's going on?"

"I will leave for Israel tomorrow. I just need some time alone. Your apartment will not do, I need a more private place." She explained to a stunned McGee.

"Um, yeah. I…I mean, my parents have a house in Rockville they are trying to rent out. I guess it will be ok for one night. Do you need a ride?"

"No. Just give me the address and I will meet you there. Thank you, McGee."

"Yeah, sure." He mumbled as he searched for the address of the rental property. What was going on with Ziva now? Maybe he should call Gibbs, but he wasn't sure that there was anything to tell him. Ziva said she would be gone tomorrow and that seemed to be what his boss wanted anyway. What could be the harm of helping Ziva one last time?


End file.
